It smelled like that in Cleveland a couple of days ago when we had the storm you just caught. I live in Little Italy and the aroma is this perfect combination of the damp pavement you speak of and Mama Santa's pizza dough.

That smell you described so eloquently is one of the best smells and feelings ever. It is like the smell is associated with that relief after a heat wave and yeah, definitely with childhood lazy summers as well.

I am sure most of us can agree that chidlhood does slip by us at times, but we regain that kind of freedom to do whatever we feel like at times, the kind of freedom that allows you to dance under the rain without giving perfect dance moves a second though ;)

Thanks for the great description, Deb, as all good descriptions, it makes you feel in that specific setting... and thanks for the popsicle recipe as well. I´m gonna try it out... if only I had an ice cream maker to make it sorbet-like... ohhh the problems of amateur cooks hahaha

I'm hoping we get one of those moments soon in London...it's been unbelievable.

When I was young and it rained, I used to go on my parent's front porch, wrapped in a towel and sit on the swing, listening the the pitter patter of the raindrops as they hit the roof. And then, if I was in the mood and the rain was warm enough...I'd go running out in it trailed by my spring spaniel...both of us a complete and utter mess for my mom to wash up!

Make sure to catch some lightening bugs too.

I used to LOVE playing in the rain as a child. That was the best! I agree, growing older shouldn't mean that we give up our youth.

Geez, that sounds awfully familiar.. especially the part about the Color War. Where did you go to camp, anyway? It wasn't in Cascade, MD, was it?

How about sound and aroma of rain hitting the tent when we went camping. We tried not to touch the sides of the canvas for fear that capillary action would wet the inside.- Then we 'graduated' to the camper---and the splattering noise of the rain pelting on the metal roof.

Did you see this popsicle recipie on nosheteria?

http://nosheteria.com/2006/07/pop-licious.html

Yummy!

I did! My mom and I (see her first comment up there? So cute.) went to this http://www.92y.org/shop/event_detail.asp?productid=T%2DLC5CB01 last week and they gave us a goody bag with popsicle molds, a honeydew/lime popsicle recipe, and then samples of the popsicle as we walked out. Yum. Maybe I'll finally use them this weekend.

I Totally made Homemade Popsicles last week! They were Iced Tea and Lemondae. Delicious!!

I know exactly how you feel. I don't know what happened..it seems like overnight I went from having super exciting, fun, careless, always outside summers and now my days are spent in an air conditioned office...blah, when did life get so bland?

I've been lurking for a couple months now, and since I've gone back and read all your posts from the very beginning I have decided to make my presence known. Your blog is awesome. I love the way you write; you really have a gift for making the ordinary become extraordinary. Kudos to you!

Woops, put in the wrong URL in the last comment. And I definitely must say that there's nothing that makes me feel more alive than dancing barefoot in the rain with my friends =)

I love kissing my boyfriend in the rain. It feels like something I would've done at 17, not 27.

PS..I refuse to leave my childhood behind. I just silence it when I'm at work.

Yeah why is it that as we step into Adulthood we give up the joy of dancing in the rain?
Never liked the rain... but I sure did enjoy dancing with my sister in the rain.

I don't remember when I had to grow up either, but I miss those carefree summers so much. It just isn't fair, is it?